Grip tape

ABSTRACT

A grip tape includes: a flexible, elastic substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface; an adhesive layer applied to the bottom surface of the substrate; and a grip layer applied to the top surface of the substrate, the grip layer including a non-slip material having an elastic limit that is at least as great as an elastic limit of the substrate, and the top surface being substantially free of any adhesive material.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S.Patent Application No. 62/293,531, entitled “Grip Tape,” filed Feb. 10,2016, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This specification generally relates to grip tape that may be releasablyand non-destructively bonded to an external object.

BACKGROUND

Some conventional grip tapes include a substantially flat and flexiblesheet of material covered or coated with a non-slip surface material.The non-slip surface is typically textured to enhance the coefficient offriction of the tape by incorporating small dimples in the surface,roughening the surface, and/or perforating the surface.

SUMMARY

This specification describes technologies related to grip tapes that maybe releasably and non-destructively bonded to an external object.

In one aspect, a grip tape includes: a flexible substrate having a topsurface and a bottom surface; an adhesive layer applied to the bottomsurface of the substrate; and a grip layer applied to the top surface ofthe substrate, the grip layer including a platinum silicone rubbermaterial, and the top surface being substantially free of any adhesivematerial.

In some examples, the adhesive layer includes a skin-friendly adhesivematerial. In some examples, the adhesive layer includes anon-destructive removable adhesive material.

In some examples, the flexible substrate includes a kinesiology tapethat is able to stretch in a single direction. In some examples, theflexible substrate includes a woven structure including a plurality ofelastic fibers and a plurality of non-elastic fibers.

In some examples, the grip layer has an elastic limit that is greaterthan or equal to an elastic limit of the flexible substrate. In someexamples, the grip layer defines a smooth outer surface, substantiallyfree of surface irregularities. In some examples, the grip layerincludes a molded three-dimensional surface feature configured toergonomically engage with a portion of a user's body. In some examples,the molded three-dimensional surface feature defines one or more fingergrooves having a width and depth sufficient to accommodate the naturalshape of a user's fingers. In some examples, the grip layer has a ShoreA hardness of at most about 2 and a 100% elastic modulus of at mostabout 40 psi.

In some examples, the platinum silicone rubber material includes aPlatinum-Siloxane Complex.

In some examples, the flexible substrate, adhesive layer, and grip layerdefine a combined thickness of the grip tape, the thickness being about1.0 mm or less. In another aspect, a grip tape includes: a flexible,elastic substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface; an adhesivelayer applied to the bottom surface of the substrate; and a grip layerapplied to the top surface of the substrate, the grip layer including anon-slip material having an elastic limit that is at least as great asan elastic limit of the substrate, and the top surface beingsubstantially free of any adhesive material.

In some examples, the grip layer includes a platinum silicone rubbermaterial. In some examples, the grip layer defines a smooth outersurface, substantially free of surface irregularities. In some examples,the grip layer includes a molded three-dimensional surface featureconfigured to ergonomically engage with a portion of a user's body. Insome examples, the molded three-dimensional surface feature defines oneor more finger grooves having a width and depth sufficient toaccommodate the natural shape of a user's fingers. In some examples, thegrip layer has a Shore A hardness of at most about 2 and a 100% elasticmodulus of at most about 40 psi.

In some examples, the platinum silicone rubber material includes aPlatinum-Siloxane Complex.

In some examples, the adhesive layer includes a skin-friendly adhesivematerial. In some examples, the adhesive layer includes anon-destructive removable adhesive material.

In some examples, the flexible substrate includes a kinesiology tapethat is able to stretch in a single direction. In some examples, theflexible substrate includes a woven structure including a plurality ofelastic fibers and a plurality of non-elastic fibers.

In some examples, the flexible substrate, adhesive layer, and grip layerdefine a combined thickness of the grip tape, the thickness being 1.0 mmor less.

In yet another aspect, a grip tape includes: a flexible, elastickinesiology tape having a top surface and a bottom surface, the tapeconfigured to stretch only in a single direction and including a wovenpattern of elastic and non-elastic fibers defining the single directionof stretch; an adhesive layer including a skin-friendly adhesivematerial applied to the bottom surface of the tape; and a grip layerapplied to the top surface of the tape, the grip layer including anon-slip material having an elastic limit that is at least as great asan elastic limit of the tape in the single direction of stretch, and thetop surface being substantially free of any adhesive material.

In still another aspect, a grip tape includes: a flexible substratehaving a top surface and a bottom surface; an adhesive layer applied tothe bottom surface of the substrate; and a grip layer applied to the topsurface of the substrate, the grip layer including a platinum siliconerubber material, and the top surface being substantially free of anyadhesive material. The grip layer includes a molded ergonomicthree-dimensional surface feature defining one or more finger grooveshaving a width and depth sufficient to accommodate the natural shape ofa user's fingers. Further, the grip layer defines a smooth outersurface, substantially free of surface irregularities.

In still another aspect, a method of fabricating a grip tape includes:positioning a flexible substrate having a top surface and a bottomsurface in a substantially flat condition; applying, while the substrateis in the substantially flat condition, an adhesive layer only to thebottom surface of the substrate, such that the top surface of thesubstrate remains substantially free of any adhesive material; andapplying, while the substrate is in the substantially flat condition, agrip layer including a platinum silicone rubber material to a topsurface of the substrate.

In some examples, applying the grip layer includes forming an outersurface of the grip layer that is substantially free of surfaceirregularities. In some examples, applying a grip layer including aplatinum silicone rubber material includes depositing a substance thatincludes a Platinum-Siloxane Complex on the top surface of thesubstrate.

In some examples, applying the grip layer includes depositing a liquidphase substance onto the top surface of the substrate, and the methodfurther includes: before the substance is allowed to set, molding one ormore three-dimensional surface features into the grip layer, thethree-dimensional surface features configured to ergonomically engagewith a portion of a user's body. In some examples, molding one or morethree-dimensional surface features includes molding one or more fingergrooves with a width and depth sufficient to accommodate a natural shapeof a user's fingers.

In still another aspect, a method of fabricating a grip tape includes:positioning a flexible substrate having a top surface and a bottomsurface in a substantially flat condition; applying, while the substrateis in the substantially flat condition, an adhesive layer only to thebottom surface of the substrate, such that the top surface of thesubstrate remains substantially free of any adhesive material; andapplying, while the substrate is in the substantially flat condition, agrip layer including a non-slip material having an elastic limit that isat least as great as an elastic limit of the substrate to a top surfaceof the substrate.

In some examples, applying the adhesive layer includes depositing asubstance including a non-destructive, skin-friendly adhesive on thebottom surface of the substrate.

In some examples, positioning a flexible substrate further includesplacing a woven kinesiology tape that is able to stretch elasticallyonly in a single direction in a unstretched state.

In some examples, applying the grip layer includes forming an outersurface of the grip layer that is substantially free of surfaceirregularities.

The details of one or more implementations of the subject matterdescribed in this specification are set forth in the accompanyingdrawings and the description below. Other features, aspects, andadvantages of the subject matter will become apparent from thedescription, the drawings, and the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of a first example grip tape inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a suitable technique of manufacturerelated to the first example grip tape of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the grip tape of FIG. 1applied to a rear surface of a mobile communications device.

FIG. 4A is a perspective view illustrating the grip tape of FIG. 1applied to the palm of a human hand.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view illustrating the grip tape of FIG. 1applied to the fingers of a human hand.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of a second example grip tape inaccordance with one or more embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the grip tape of FIG. 1applied to the handle of a hand-held tool.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating the grip tape of FIG. 1applied to the handle of a baseball bat.

One or more elements of the drawings may be exaggerated to better showthe features, process steps, and results. Like reference numbers anddesignations in the various drawings may indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a removablegrip tape that can be used in a wide variety of applications to providetackiness to the surface of an external object. The grip tape can bereleasably and non-destructively bonded to the surface, such that if andwhen the grip tape begins to lose effectiveness or becomes damaged, theuser can simply remove and replace it with a fresh piece. In someembodiments, the grip tape is configured to be particularly well suitedfor contact with a user's skin. For example, an adhesive layer of thegrip tape may include a composition that effectively bonds the tape tothe user's skin without causing irritation, and a grip layer of the tapemay be both smooth and soft, and therefore pleasing to the touch.Further, in some embodiments, the grip layer includes one or more moldedthree-dimensional surface features configured to ergonomically engagewith a portion of the user's body.

Referring first to FIG. 1, a grip tape 100 includes a substrate 102, anadhesive layer 104, and a grip layer 106. The adhesive layer 104 resideson a bottom surface 105 of the substrate 102. The grip layer 106 resideson a top surface 107 of the substrate 102. As described in detail below,the grip tape 100 can be attached to a surface of an external object viathe adhesive layer 104 and provide an enhanced frictional quality (e.g.,coefficient of friction) to the object via the grip layer 106. Theflexible substrate 102, adhesive layer 104, and grip layer 106 define acombined thickness “t” of the grip tape. In some examples, the thickness“t” about 1.0 mm or less (e.g., about 0.7 mm or about 0.9 mm).

The substrate 102 is a substantially uniform structure, providing planarbottom and top surfaces 105, 107 for carrying the respective adhesiveand grip layers 104, 106. In some embodiments, the substrate 102 issufficiently flexible and pliant to allow the grip tape 100 to bendfreely out of the horizontal plane during application to the intendedsurface. Further, the flexible nature of the substrate 102 allows thegrip tape 100 conform to the shape of an irregular, non-planar surface.In some alternative embodiments, the substrate 102 is substantiallyrigid and resistant to bending, allowing the grip tape 100 to provideboth structural reinforcement and grip enhancement to the appliedsurface.

In some examples, the substrate 102 is sufficiently ductile to permitstretching under the tensile stress applied by a user's hands. Thus, forexample, a user may pull the ends of a strip of the grip tape 100 andstretch the tape beyond its original length. In some examples, thesubstrate 102 is an elastic structure, capable of returning to itsoriginal shape after some degree of deformation (e.g., stretching). Thedegree of elasticity may be defined in terms of an “elastic elongationpercentage.” The elastic elongation percentage corresponds to the amountof stretching achieved at the substrate's “elastic limit”—the maximumstress before the onset of permanent deformation. Thus, the elasticelongation percentage relates to the maximum amount of elasticstretching for the substrate material. In some implementations, thesubstrate 102 was provided in the form of a kinesiology tape having anelastic elongation percentage of about 140% (which approximately matchesthe theoretical elastic elongation percentage of human skin). Thesubstrate 102 may be provided in the form of a woven or non-woven web.In some examples, the construction of the substrate 102 at leastpartially defines its material properties. For instance, the weavepattern of a woven substrate may impart a directionality to itsductility and elasticity. In some implementations, the substrate 102 wasprovided in the form of a kinesiology tape including a woven mesh ofboth elastic and non-elastic fibers, the weave pattern allowing thesubstrate to stretch elastically in only a single direction (e.g., alengthwise direction and not a widthwise direction).

In this example, the adhesive layer 104 is provided in the form of athin contiguous film applied uniformly across the bottom substratesurface 105. However, other suitable configurations are also within thescope of the present disclosure. For example, a suitable adhesive layermay include discrete deposits of one or more materials, such as a dotpattern and/or a wave or herringbone pattern. The material of theadhesive layer 104 includes a substance capable of securely bonding thegrip tape 100 to the surface of an external object. In some examples,the material is a non-destructive removable adhesive, which allows thegrip tape 100 to be removed from the surface by hand without inflictingdamage to the surface. Thus, one piece of the grip tape 100 can bequickly and easily removed, then replaced with another. In someexamples, the material is a skin-compatible adhesive, allowing the griptape 100 to be bonded directly to a user's skin without causingexcessive irritation or trauma when removed. In some implementations azinc-oxide based adhesive material was used. Suitable materialcompositions for providing a skin-compatible adhesive are described inU.S. Pat. Pub. 2010/0298747, the entirety of which is incorporatedherein by reference.

Similar to the adhesive layer 104, the grip layer 106 is provided in theform of a thin contiguous film applied uniformly across the topsubstrate surface 107. FIG. 2 illustrates an example where a thesubstrate 102 is positioned in a substantially flat condition (i.e., asubstantially even condition, where the substrate is not wrinkled, bent,or folded; note, however, that he term “flat” is not intended to requireany specific orientation of the substrate), and a substance 10 suitablefor forming the grip layer 106 of FIG. 1 (e.g., a platinum siliconerubber material) is applied to the top surface 107 of the substrate 1022by pouring the substance as a liquid directly onto the substrate from acontainer 12. In implementations where the substrate is an elasticallystretchable structure, the substrate may be maintained in an unstretchedstate as the adhesive layer 104 and grip layer 106 are applied thereon.In various examples, the substance 10 for forming the grip layer 106 maybe applied to the substrate 102 before or after the adhesive layer 104.Further, in some examples, the grip layer 106 may be formed in multiplestages. For example, the first stage may include applying (e.g., pouringa liquid phase substance 10 from a container 12 as shown in FIG. 2) thegrip layer 106 to the substrate, and a second stage may include moldingone or more three-dimensional surface features into the grip layer 106(as discussed below) before it sets.

Referring back to FIG. 1, the material of the grip layer 106 providesincreased frictional resistance to relative motion between the outersurface 108 of the layer and the surface of another object. The griplayer 106 is free of any adhesive material, meaning that, under standardroom ambient conditions, the grip layer 106 will not tend to bond withthe surface of another object. As shown, the outer surface 108 isrelatively smooth, substantially free of surface irregularities. Thematerial of the grip layer 106 may also be relatively soft, having aShore A hardness of about 2 or less. Thus, the grip layer 106, whileproviding enhanced frictional resistance, may be more pleasing to thetouch of a user than a similar structure having one or more textured orroughened portions. The grip layer 106 may be at least as flexible,elastic and/or ductile as the substrate 102. In some examples, thematerial of the grip layer 106 has a 100% elastic modulus of about 40psi or less. Further, in some examples, the grip layer has an elasticelongation percentage that is greater than or equal to that of thesubstrate—e.g., about 140% in some examples. The elastic properties ofthe grip layer 106 may be especially significant when the substrate 102is provided in the form of an elastic kinesiology tape. As would beappreciated by those of skill in the art, the elasticity of kinesiologytape creates a pulling force on the user's skin, which provides thedesired therapeutic effect. Thus, providing a grip layer matching orexceeding the elasticity of the kinesiology tape permits the benefit ofenhanced frictional resistance without the cost decreased therapeuticeffectiveness.

In some examples, the grip layer 106 includes a platinum silicone rubbermaterial, which may, for example, include a Platinum-Siloxane Complex.In some implementations, a platinum silicone material sold by Smooth-On,Inc. under the trade name Dragon Skin® FX-Pro was used to form the griplayer 106. The Dragon Skin product is known to be particularly welldesigned for use in creating precision molded special effects, such asprosthetic makeup appliances (e.g., masks and the like). Unexpectedly,however, the platinum silicone rubber material also provides theabove-described combination of advantageous material properties forproviding a suitable grip layer—including, for example, softness,flexibility, elasticity, ductility, and enhanced surface friction.Further, lower durometer platinum silicone rubbers tend to exhibithigher coefficients of friction. Thus, platinum silicone rubber isparticularly well suited for applications where the grip tape is likelyto contact the user's body, because softer compositions, which are morepleasing to the touch, also provide increased grip.

Platinum silicone is also known to be non-toxic and compatible withhuman skin, making it particularly suitable for the grip tapeapplications described herein. In some examples, the platinum siliconerubber exhibits a non-stick and non-wetting surface property. Thenon-stick and non-wetting properties allow the grip layer 106 to deflectfluids (e.g., water, bodily fluids, etc.) away from the grip tape 100.Thus, the grip layer 106 may serve a protective function with respect tothe substrate 102 and adhesive layer 104, as well as the surface of theunderlying object. Further, a grip layer formed from platinum curesilicone rubber, absent colored additives, may be substantiallytranslucent. Thus, a decorative grip tape may be produced by applying adecorative pattern to the substrate 102 before applying the grip layer106. In this configuration, the translucent nature of the grip layer 106permits visibility of the decorative substrate 102. Platinum siliconerubbers, such as the Dragon Skin product, are particularly well suitedfor creating molded shapes (as noted above) due to, among other things,their high dimensional stability. As discussed in detail below withreference to FIGS. 5-7, the moldable nature of platinum silicone can beleveraged in one or more embodiments of the present disclosure to form agrip layer (e.g., grip layer 106′) having one or more moldedthree-dimensional surface features configured to ergonomically engagewith a portion of a user's body.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example application of the grip tape 100. In thisexample, the grip tape 100 is provided in the form of a wide stripdeposited to the rear surface 202 of a mobile communications device 200(e.g., a cellular smart phone). The grip tape 100 is securely bonded tothe surface 202 by the non-destructive adhesive layer 104 (see FIG. 1),leaving the grip layer 106 exposed for contact with an external object.For example, a user operating the device 200 would likely hold thedevice in hand with his/her fingers wrapped around and straddling therear surface 202 carrying the grip tape 100. In this example, the griptape 106 would contact the user's fingers and provide increasedfrictional resistance to slipping, as compared to the device's rearsurface 202. As such, the user would be less likely to mishandle anddrop the device 200. Further, because the grip layer 106 is both smoothand soft, the outer surface 108 in contact with the user's skin isexceptionally pleasing to the touch. Of course numerous other examplesof applying the removable grip tape 100 to devices or structures likelyto contact a user's skin are also contemplated by the presentdisclosure. For example, the grip tape 100 could be applied to thesurfaces of mice, keyboards, writing instruments, eating utensils, cups,bottles, tools, weaponry, gloves, shoes, hand-held controllers, etc.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate further example applications of the grip tape100. In these examples, the grip tape 100 is applied directly to auser's skin 300. Accordingly, the adhesive layer 104 (see FIG. 1)features a suitable skin-compatible material composition (e.g.,including zinc-oxide). The grip tape applications shown in FIGS. 4A and4B provide an in situ enhanced grip surface that travels with the user.This may be particularly advantageous in situations when it is notfeasible to apply the grip tape 100 to any particular external objectthat will be handled by the user. Thus, the in situ grip tapeconfigurations may provide a superior alternative to conventional rubbercoated grip gloves, which can be bulky, expensive, and tend to wear downover time. In fact, the grip tape 100 may be applied to the user's skinin a variety of ways to produce different types of grip/protectiveprofiles particularly well suited for specific applications. Thus, thegrip tape can be used as an effective replacement for various types ofconventional rubber grip gloves—e.g., weight lifting or football gloves.For example, referring first to FIG. 4A, here the grip tape 100 ispositioned on the palm 302 of the user 300. The skin-compatible adhesivelayer 104 (see FIG. 1) is pressed against the skin of the user 300 andreleasably bonds the grip tape 100 in place. The grip layer 106 remainsexposed, facing outward from the user's palm 302 for contacting externalobjects. In this example, the grip tape 100 is also fortified by anoptional piece of securing tape 304, which may, or may not, include agrip surface. Such applications may be particularly useful for providinggrip and protection for the user's palm when performing physicalactivities, such as weight lifting, sports (e.g., gymnastics orbaseball), driving, etc., where the user grasps a cylindrical externalobject (e.g., a bar or a bat) with an over, under, or neutral-hand grip.In the example application shown in FIG. 4B, the grip tape 100 isapplied in separate strips to each of the user's fingers 306. Similar tothe example of FIG. 4A, the skin-compatible adhesive layer (see FIG. 1)is pressed against the skin of the user 300, releasably bonding the griptape 100 in place. The grip layer 106 remains exposed, facing outwardfrom the user's fingers 306 for contacting external objects. Suchapplications may be particularly useful in the context of football,where players tend to wrap their fingers in conventional athletic tapefor injury prevention and/or improved grip.

FIG. 5 illustrates a grip tape 100′ similar to the grip tape 100 of FIG.1, including a substrate 102′ and an adhesive layer 104′ residing on abottom surface 105′ of the substrate 102′. In this example, however, thegrip layer 106′ residing on the top surface 107′ of the substrate 102′is a non-planar structure, featuring an outer surface 108′ defining aplurality of molded three-dimensional surface features 110′. Thethree-dimensional surface features 110′ may be configured toergonomically engage with a portion of a user's body, meaning that theyare appropriately shaped and sized to accommodate the natural(unstressed) body shape of the user. In this example, thethree-dimensional surface features 110′ are provided in the form oftransitioning convex 112′ and concave 114′ surface contours that formergonomic finger grooves. Thus the width “w” and depth “d” of theconcave contours 114 and the height “h” of the convex contours 112′ aresufficient to accommodate the natural shape of a user's fingers.Notably, like the grip tape 100′, the outer surface 108′, including thesurface features 110′, is relatively smooth, substantially free ofsurface irregularities. The smoothness of the grip layer's outer surface108′ may be pleasing to the touch. The smooth, yet contoured outersurface 108′ may be achieved by a molding process. As noted above,platinum silicone rubbers, which unexpectedly provide an advantageouscombination of material properties for providing a suitable grip layer,are also particularly well suited for accurate creating molded shapesdue to, among other things, their high dimensional stability. Theseproperties converge advantageously in the present embodiment to providesmooth, molded ergonomic features on a soft, flexible, and highlyfrictional grip tape.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate an example application of the grip tape 100′.In these examples, the grip tape 100′ is applied to the handle 402,502of a hand-held tool 400 (a hammer in this example) and a baseball bat500. Similar, to the previous examples, the adhesive layer 104 (see FIG.5) is pressed against the surface of the handle 402,502 to securely bondthe grip tape 100 thereon, while the grip layer 106′ is exposed forcontact with the user's hand. The enhanced frictional quality of thegrip layer 106′ combined with the molded ergonomic finger grooves allowsthe user to grasp the handle 402 and manipulate the tool 400 with asecure grip.

The use of terminology such as “top” and “bottom” throughout thespecification and claims is for describing the relative positions ofvarious components of the system and other elements described herein.The use of such terminology does not imply a particular position ororientation of the system or any other components relative to thedirection of the Earth gravitational force, or the Earth ground surface,or other particular position or orientation that the assembly or otherelements may be placed in during operation, manufacturing, and/ortransportation.

A number of embodiments of the invention have been described.Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventions. Asone example, the mobile communication device described with reference toFIG. 3 could be any portable object manipulated by the user and/or astationary surface or object. As another example, the ergonomic fingergrooves described with reference to the embodiment of FIGS. 5-7 could bemodified or replaced with other ergonomic features (e.g., ergonomicfeatures for accommodating the palm, heel, toes, etc. of the user).Further, the hand-held tool or the baseball bat described with referenceto FIGS. 6 and 7 could be any object that a user may manipulate by ahandle, including, for example, a golf club.

What is claimed is:
 1. A grip tape, comprising: a flexible, elasticsubstrate having a top surface and a bottom surface; an adhesive layerapplied to the bottom surface of the substrate; and a grip layer appliedto the top surface of the substrate, the grip layer comprising anon-slip material having an elastic limit that is at least as great asan elastic limit of the substrate, and the top surface beingsubstantially free of any adhesive material.
 2. The grip tape of claim1, wherein the grip layer comprises a platinum silicone rubber material.3. The grip tape of claim 2, wherein the platinum silicone rubbermaterial comprises a Platinum-Siloxane Complex.
 4. The grip tape ofclaim 1, wherein the adhesive layer comprises a skin-friendly adhesivematerial.
 5. The grip tape of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layercomprises a non-destructive removable adhesive material.
 6. The griptape of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a kinesiologytape that is able to stretch in a single direction.
 7. The grip tape ofclaim 6, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a woven structureincluding a plurality of elastic fibers and a plurality of non-elasticfibers.
 8. The grip tape of claim 1, wherein the grip layer defines asmooth outer surface, substantially free of surface irregularities. 9.The grip tape of claim 1, wherein the grip layer comprises a moldedthree-dimensional surface feature configured to ergonomically engagewith a portion of a user's body.
 10. The grip tape of claim 9, whereinthe molded three-dimensional surface feature defines one or more fingergrooves having a width and depth sufficient to accommodate a naturalshape of a user's fingers.
 11. The grip tape of claim 1, wherein thegrip layer has a Shore A hardness of at most about 2 and a 100% elasticmodulus of at most about 40 psi.
 12. The grip tape of claim 1, whereinthe flexible substrate, adhesive layer, and grip layer define a combinedthickness of the grip tape, the thickness being about 1.0 mm or less.13. A grip tape, comprising: a flexible, elastic kinesiology tape havinga top surface and a bottom surface, the tape configured to stretch onlyin a single direction and comprising a woven pattern of elastic andnon-elastic fibers defining the single direction of stretch; an adhesivelayer comprising a skin-friendly adhesive material applied to the bottomsurface of the tape; and a grip layer applied to the top surface of thetape, the grip layer comprising a non-slip material having an elasticlimit that is at least as great as an elastic limit of the tape in thesingle direction of stretch, and the top surface being substantiallyfree of any adhesive material.
 14. The grip tape of claim 13, whereinthe grip layer defines a smooth outer surface, substantially free ofsurface irregularities.
 15. The grip tape of claim 13, wherein the griplayer comprises a molded three-dimensional surface feature configured toergonomically engage with a portion of a user's body, and wherein themolded three-dimensional surface feature defines one or more fingergrooves having a width and depth sufficient to accommodate a naturalshape of a user's fingers.
 16. The grip tape of claim 13, wherein thegrip layer has a Shore A hardness of at most about 2 and a 100% elasticmodulus of at most about 40 psi.
 17. The grip tape of claim 13, whereinthe grip layer comprises a platinum silicone rubber material.
 18. Thegrip tape of claim 17, wherein the platinum silicone rubber materialcomprises a Platinum-Siloxane Complex.
 19. The grip tape of claim 13,wherein the kinesiology tape, adhesive layer, and grip layer define acombined thickness of the grip tape, the thickness being about 1.0 mm orless.
 20. A method of fabricating a grip tape, the method comprising:positioning a flexible substrate having a top surface and a bottomsurface in a substantially flat condition; applying, while the substrateis in the substantially flat condition, an adhesive layer only to thebottom surface of the substrate, such that the top surface of thesubstrate remains substantially free of any adhesive material; andapplying, while the substrate is in the substantially flat condition, agrip layer to the top surface of the substrate, the grip layercomprising a non-slip material having an elastic limit that is at leastas great as an elastic limit of the substrate.